This has been driving me nuts. I have checked everything for tightness, have the carb dialed in as best I can, tried retarding the timing a little at a time, etc, etc, etc. There is always a tapping noise at about 2500 - 2700 rpm under little or no load. It will make the noise slowly coming up through that range and if I slowly decelerate back through that range it will do it then too. I run 93 octane, inspected the plugs which look good. I am beginning to think its mechanical, whether its a lifter or valve, but think the primary chain is properly adjusted.

72 Ironhead XLH

17th May 2007, 00:10

might check the lifters by holding a finger on the push rod cover while riding,looseness can be felt.loose spokes, license plate, fender struts,chainguard,

br_xl

17th May 2007, 03:28

might check the lifters by holding a finger on the push rod cover while riding,looseness can be felt.
You mean the chrome tube? That's going to be tricky seeing that it is on the throttle side.

rottenralph

17th May 2007, 03:35

Do you know what piniging sounds like. It is in a range that could be a ping. Does it happen in all gears or more when you are in 5th only. Pinging sounds more like a quick chatter. If it was rocker noise you would probably hear it all the time.

br_xl

17th May 2007, 03:58

Do you know what piniging sounds like. It is in a range that could be a ping. Does it happen in all gears or more when you are in 5th only. Pinging sounds more like a quick chatter. If it was rocker noise you would probably hear it all the time.
It happens in all gears. I previously had a ping or detonation under heavy WOT acceleration as the RPM's came up. It was really brief. I think it is gone with the one hash mark retard of timing and colder plugs. But it was a very different sound. More like a crinkling of aluminum foil.